


Perpetual Possibility

by Noxnoctisanima



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-24
Updated: 2010-07-24
Packaged: 2017-10-10 18:42:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/102891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noxnoctisanima/pseuds/Noxnoctisanima
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This isn't the future he had expected or even hoped for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perpetual Possibility

Oswald had never thought about his future, you didn't in the kinds of places he grew up. He could say in all honesty that having his apartment ransacked and goons chase him really wasn't as surprising as it should have been.

 

His mother had always told him, usually during one of her bouts of attempting higher enlightenment through prescription medication, that he'd end up dead, in jail or on the street.

 

He'd remembered that when it happened, her curled up in an uncomfortable polyester chair, cigarette dangling limply and a small forest of yellow bottles lined up in front of her. She'd waved her hand vaguely, dismissively, and scowled at him through bloodshot eyes.

 

“Life's full of pain Oswald and you have to be special to make it” She punctuated her sentence with a stab of her cigarette. “And you're not special boy, may as well stop trying now before you get your hopes up.”

 

He was twelve.

 

He'd held on a few more years, until he was fifteen and then he'd dropped out of, well everything, school and his inglorious part time job and his rather unpleasant home life. He told himself that he was freeing himself from all the things that were holding him back, most especially his mother, but really he was doing exactly as she asked, stopping before he got his hopes up.

 

Oswald really wished she was still alive, he would have loved to be able to _not_ invite her today.

 

 

 

Oswald tugged the blanket over his shoulder, twisting the pillow into a more comfortable shape. He settled down with a sigh, closing his eyes just as the door popped open. He froze, hearing footsteps padding quietly into the room. The profile of Charlie's nose and hair left him with an adrenalin rush and nothing to do. Charlie glanced over at him, but Oswald's eyes were hidden in the darkness and he turned towards the boards.

 

Charlie cast a slightly wavering shadow against the blackboard, sending up a little plume of dust as he picked up the chalk. There was dappled light across his back, obviously enough to see by as the clack of chalk started.

 

Oswald watched the odd symbols form across the board, more dust floating into the air and slowly dozed off, the clacking of chalk echoing.

 

 

 

The people rushed around him, smelling of coffee and cigarettes and dust, chattering in loud voices about things he didn't understand. He pulled back towards the wall, out of the rush of bodies, slipping into the open doorway of Charlie's office. He turned in the doorway and Charlie looked up from his desk with a grin.

 

“Oswald! How was the first day of classes.”

 

He shrugged, eyes down.

 

“Had calculus and intro to statistics.” He looked up with a grin. “I flew through them.”

 

Charlie stood up, wrapping his arms around Oswald, slapping his back.

 

“I told you that you'd do well.” Charlie's hand lingered, Oswald smiled.

 

 

 

“Who was the person who decided midterms were a good idea?” Oswald kicked his legs over the arm of one of Charlie's chairs, letting his bag dangle from his fingers.

 

“In your case Professor Johnson, not looking forward to it?” Charlie turned from the board, twirling a marker between his fingers.

 

“No I love them.” He rolled his eyes. “I told you I suck at tests.”

 

Charlie walked around the desk, dropping his hand onto Oswald's kicked up calf, squeezing lightly.

 

“You'll do fine. You know this stuff.”

 

“And yet I still suck at tests.” His hands twitched nervously but he smiled as Charlie left his hand resting on his leg.

 

“You'll do fine.”

 

 

 

“You called Charlie?” Oswald slid through the doorway, taking in the chalkboards and the extra person. “Hey Don. I can come back later if you want.”

 

“No, he's the reason I called you. We need your help.” Charlie gathered up a pile of papers. “There's a child somewhere in these and we need to find him.” He looked a little manic, tired around the eyes. Oswald took his hand, ignoring the eyebrow Don raised at him.

 

“Yeah, ok, what do we have?”

 

 

 

The garage was dark and they stood to close. Charlie's hand was on his elbow.

 

“We can't, you're a student.”

 

“And yet I don't care.”

 

Oswald leans in close, hand cupping Charlie's cheek, he presses a kiss to his lips, feeling Charlie return the kiss before pulling back.

  
“It's a year until you graduate, not before then.”

 

Charlie's hand wraps around the back of his neck and brings their foreheads together. Oswald sighs.

 

“Charlie...”

 

Charlie shakes his head against Oswald's, Oswald feels the press and twist of skin and sighs again.

 

“A year, ok, but this is going to suck.”

 

 

 

Charlie was hovering vaguely around the room, fiddling with the crumpled lapels of his gown. Oswald quirked his mouth at Don and straightened his own gown, Don grinned at him.

 

“You look more uncomfortable in that than I do, you've at least worn it before.”

 

Charlie tugged it from his shoulder and scratched at his neck.

 

“And I hated it then too, it's itchy.” He tugged at it a little more and Oswald grinned, Charlie finally looked up from his fidgeting, caught his look and grinned back, a little sheepishly. “I never liked this part of teaching.” His hand brushed against Oswald's and spasmed, closing as if to hold another, Oswald tapped his finger against the back of Charlie's hand and his muscles relaxed.

 

Larry's head stuck around the door, his gown just as crumpled as Charlie's.

 

“Oswald I believe the graduates are expected at the stage and Charles we should be joining the staff.”

 

Oswald turned and touched his fist to Charlie's shoulder.

 

“If only every run from the cops ended like this. You're a persuasive guy Charlie.” His smile turned a little softer. “Thanks.” He focused his glance over Charlie's shoulder. “Don, Mr Eppes, thanks for coming.”

 

“We were glad to come, Oswald.” Alan and Don came forward, shaking his hand.

 

“Well I'll see you on the stage.” Oswald threw off a salute and walked almost backwards out of the door.

 

 

 

“Oswald Kittner.”

 

There was a knot of FBI waving enthusiastically from the audience, Colby and David elbowing each other playfully as Don gave them quelling looks.

 

Oswald had always had friends but this was somehow different. The friends he'd had Before (It always seemed to deserve the capital) were great but casual, the kind you saw out and chatted with, not the kind to hide you from hostile forces or the kind to come to your graduation; not that Oswald would have ever expected to have one back in those days. Now here he was in this bright shining future with a degree in his hand, actual _friendly _FBI agents in the audience and a what-ever-the-fuck Charlie was wedged in-between a thoroughly pleased Millie and Larry.

 

Well it wasn't what he had been expecting, or even hoping for, but it was a pretty fucking awesome future none the less.

 


End file.
